Ankle-support.



W. J. McLINDBN.

ANKLE SUPPORT. APPLIGATION FILED 3313.15; 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

JAM 5N TOR.

W MOLINDEN- A TTI S.

WILLIAM JOHN MCLINDEN, OF OvVEN SOUND, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ANKLE-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 15, 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909. Serial No. 478,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JOHN Mo- Lrnnnx, of the town of Owen Sound, in the county of Grey, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Inuprovements in Ankle-Supports, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ankle supports particularly adapted to skates, and the object of the invention is to devise a form of ankle support adapted to both skate and boot, which will not only effectually support the ankle but also allow of a natural freedom of movement or bend of the foot and boot from front to back during the exercise of skating and which is so necessary for the comfort of the skater, especially in preventing any straining or undue pressure on the foot.

A further object is to protect the back of the boot particularly in hockey playing.

A still further object is to so construct the ankle support that a hockey player may be enabled to stand or run on the toe of the skates without interfering with the eficiency of the support to the ankle.

A yet further object is to make the device strong, durable and if necessary form part of the skate itself.

To effect these objects I have constructed my ankle support of a bottom plate attached to or forming portion of the heel plate of the skate, an upwardly extending standard concaved in form to lit the contour of the back of the heel portion of the boot and provided with a hinge intermediate of its length, and a plate slidably connected to the top of the standard and permanently secured to the top of the boot and an ankle strap extending around the same, the parts being arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure l, is a perspective view of a skate and boot secured thereto provided with my improved ankle support. Fig. 2, is an enlarged detail of the ankle support. Fig. 3,

is an enlarged detail showing the skate, boot and ankle support in the position which it would assume when a hockey player is standing or running on the toes of his skates. In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure. A is a skate, which is provided with the usual sole plate A. The sole plate is secured to the sole of the shoe in the usual manner.

B is the heel plate on the skate, which I prefer to form as part of my ankle support. Attached to the plate B or forming partthereof is the standard B, which extends from the plate to the top of the boot. The standard is curved longitudinally to fit the longitudinal curve of the heel portion of the boot and is also curved, concaved or hollowed laterally to lit the lateral contour of the heel portion forming substantially laterally extending curved wings B at the lower portion of the standard. Intermediate of the length of the standard I provide a double hinge C, which comprises a metal loop C fitting into the upper and lower eyes C and C forming portion of the upper and lower portions B and B of the standard B. The upper portion B is formed with ears B forming a guide-way.

B is a plate forming part of the standard and slidably held in the guide-ways B The plate I is also provided with ears B which at each side straddle the edge of the upper portion 13 of the standard. The plate B is secured to an ankle strap D and the top of the boot by a central rivet D and side rivets D The ankle strap is provided with the usual buckle, which is not necessary here to describe.

Having now described the principal parts involved in my invention I shall briefly describe its utility. The standard B forming part of the plate B effectually holds the back or heel portion of the boot in an upright position and thereby stiffens the boot from top to bottom and thus serves as an efficient ankle support. The bottom portion of the standard being curved and provided with wings B as hereinbefore described is not only greatly strengthened but fits the contour of the boot very securely, thereby adding very much to the rigidity of the boot and the efficiency of the support.

In skating it is well known that the foot has a bending movement from front to rear, which the boot as well as the skate must permit in order that the skater may skate with perfect freedom. If the standard B were rigid from top to bottom such a movement of the foot would be prevented or at least there would be a great strain on the shoe and on the instep or front portion of the ankle. This is effectually obviated by the use of the sliding plate B as well as the double hinge C, which permits of all possible movement of the foot from front to rear even to the extent of permitting of a hockey player standing on his toes as will be readily seen 1 on reference to Fig. 3.

What I claim as my invent1on is:

1. An ankle support comprising a heel plate, a standard connected at one end to said plate and adapted to extend up the back of a shoe, a double hinge intermediate the length of the standard, and means carried by the upper end of the standard adapted to secure the same to the top of the shoe.

2. An ankle support comprising a heel plate, a standard connected at one end to said plate and adapted to extend up the back of a shoe, a double hinge located intermediate of the length of the standard, a plate slidably connected to the top of the standard above said hinge and a strap carried by said plate.

3. In combination with a skate and its heel plate, of a standard extending upwardly from the rear of the plate, a double hinge located intermediate the ends of said stand ard, a plate slidably connected with the upper end of the standard, said plate and the upper end of the standard having lugs thereon bent over each other to form a sliding connection, and a strap carried by said plate.

WVILLIAM JOHN MGLINDEN.

Witnesses B. BOYD, R. COBAIN. 

